The Medicinal Herb Info site was created to help educate visitors about the often forgotten wisdom of the old ways of treating illnesses. Many of today's drugs and medicines were originally derived from natural ingredients, combinations of plants and other items found in nature.

We are not suggesting that you ignore the help of trained medical professionals, simply that you have additional options available for treating illnesses. Often the most effective treatment involves a responsible blend of both modern and traditional treatments.

Scientific Names

Monkshood is a European erect, clump-forming perennial plant up to 4 feet tall; the tuberous root produces an erect, simple, glabrous or slightly hairy stem with alternate, palmately 5 to 7 lobed leaves that are dark green on top and paler beneath. The hood-like, blue-purple flowers grow in long, irregular racemes from June to August. Not heat tolerant, needs full sun or partial shade.

Other varieties: Monk’s cowl (A. carmichaelii) is native to the Szechuan region of China; it is used as a narcotic and as a topical anesthetic ointment in Chinese and homeopathic medicine, but it is too powerful for the home gardener to use.

Wolfsbane (A. lycoctonum) has yellow flowers and is familiar from folktales; old superstition held that it repelled werewolves. br>Back to Top

Various species of monkshood grow wild in North America, particularly in mountainous regions. These are similarly poisonous.

Used as a poison in hunting and war in Europe and Asia since ancient times, monkshood has acquired an extremely bad image through the ages. Its juice was used by soldiers to poison water supplies in the path of advancing enemies, and by hunters to poison spears, arrowheads, and bait.

In Greek legend, monkshood originated from the foam dripping from the fangs of the three-headed dog Cerberus that Herakles (Hercules) brought up from the underworld. Also Hecate, the Greek goddess of the moon, ghosts, witches, and magic, poisoned her father with monkshood.

In the Middle Ages witches were associated with monkshood. Since it numbs the senses and gives a sensation of flying, they are said to have smeared it on their bodies and broomsticks.

The name monkshood comes from its hood-shaped flowers.

A. napellus, monkshood, is the source of the drug aconite; it was formerly used to make a deadly poison; Shakespeare’s Romeo killed himself with a cup of it. br>Back to Top

Herbal Gardening, compiled by The Robison York State Herb Garden, Cornell Plantations, Matthaei Botanical Gardens of the University of Michigan, University of California Botanical Garden, Berkeley., Pantheon Books, Knopf Publishing Group, New York, 1994, first edition